One dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is 80% effective: https://www.yahoo.com/now/1-dose-moderna-pfizer-vaccines-effective-covid-19-get-second-dose-experts-192823135.html . Sigh. Effective messaging addresses the target audience. As to one dose vaccines, these two are apparently more effective than the J&J vaccine, so if somebody decides to take just one dose, that’s okay. As to the second dose, the increase from 80% to 90% means the second dose cuts your risk in half – that should be the message to the crowd which has one dose. More: https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-us-study-highly-effective-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-moderna-covid-19-vaccines-effective-in-real-world-cdc-says-11617038463 .
Variants believed partly responsible for current rise in US cases: https://www.axios.com/americans-vulnerable-coronavirus-cases-variants-vaccines-2add07de-5b0e-45d5-90fa-6bb80b521afc.html . Unfortunately this article is short on specific data.
COVID cases rising all over the world: https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-cases-rising-around-world-europe-india-7e3e9d42-4eba-4b16-8a35-490e6f7a864c.html . We do know the European rise is being fueled primarily by the UK variant.
However, WSJ sees the global increase as the vaccine haves versus the have-nots: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-vaccines-flood-the-u-s-covid-19-soars-where-shots-are-scarce-11617019216 . The variants may upend this viewpoint. The article does mention them, but not seem to understand the nature of the risk.
COVID data from the prior administration remains suspect: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/545339-redfield-said-azar-pressured-him-to-revise-covid-19-data-reports . While these two Quislings try to rewrite their reputations, the real damage is to the CDC’s integrity.
15% of US population fully vaccinated: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-29/cdc-15-of-us-population-fully-vaccinated-against-coronavirus . This number was 10% on March 1. It should roar forward during April, perhaps reaching 30%. Still, herd immunity is now estimated at 90%. Significant vaccine skepticism remains, and it will be many months before children are vaccinated. We do not have a solid grasp of current or future variants. The global pandemic will not be over in 2021. The “new normal”, whatever it is, comes in 2022 at the earliest.
WSJ: New COVID drugs show promise in mid-stage studies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pair-of-covid-19-drugs-performed-well-in-studies-makers-say-11617034810 . Everything here will have to be reassessed against the emerging variants.
The WHO draft report has been leaked. It opines that the origin is likely bat to another animal to human, and that a lab leak is extremely unlikely: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/report-finds-coronavirus-probably-emerged-bats-extremely-unlikely-resu-rcna536 . The limited access given to the WHO research team calls the report into question. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-report-into-covid-19-origins-leaves-key-questions-unanswered-11617027920 .
J&J announces vaccine deal with African Union: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-29/johnson-johnson-to-supply-african-union-with-coronavirus-vaccine .
WSJ: A big case of COVID aid fraud?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hhs-flags-covid-19-aid-paid-to-california-clinic-11617047884 . The initial facts suggest Dr. Dinh may be done.
Canada suspends AstraZeneca vaccinations over blood clot concerns: https://apnews.com/article/canada-panel-astrazeneca-vaccine-pause-under-55-06dde56d2db78d72c5bb9bcb97be4d5a . Those vaccine skepticism hits just keep on coming. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/canada-to-recommend-halt-in-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-in-people-under-55-11617046072 .
Mexico revises COVID death toll up by 60%: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56558059 . This is horrific. And it may soon figure into border politics.
In Israel, three pregnant women with COVID die late in their pregnancies: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/43-year-old-pregnant-covid-patient-and-her-unborn-child-die-in-hospital-663519 . More information here would be highly desirable. What precisely caused each mother’s death? Did the baby die of COVID?
Meanwhile, they’re still making up news at Fox: https://www.foxnews.com/health/amish-community-coronavirus-herd-immunity-health-official-says . So there’s no data of consequence here. What about variants? Since these people generally don’t consent to testing, we will never have information of value here.
WSJ: Congress extends COVID bankruptcy relief: https://www.wsj.com/articles/congress-extends-covid-19-bankruptcy-relief-for-consumers-small-businesses-116170542 . Gee, a bill that passed with bipartisan support.
WSJ: Personal bankruptcies down in 2020, commercial bankruptcies up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-was-supposed-to-drive-bankruptcies-higher-the-opposite-happened-11617010201 . Any further questions about why the current stimulus package was needed?
WSJ: National eviction moratorium extended through June: https://www.wsj.com/articles/national-eviction-moratorium-extended-through-june-11617033688 . When the relief ends, will personal bankruptcies soar?
Can the Democrats get a third budget bite?: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/545331-schumer-eyes-bypassing-filibuster-for-third-bill . The general understanding has been a maximum of two bills this year for reconciliation. That we’re even talking about this shows how broken the Senate is as a legislative body. And reconciliation is limited to issues directly tied to the budget. The $15 minimum wage didn’t fit. Voting rights protections and immigration reform are also not fits, unless the Senate chooses to overrule the parliamentarian. This is a ridiculous way to run a democracy.
“We pulled it off” – literally – as Suez Canal blockage ends: https://apnews.com/article/suez-canal-ship-freed-live-updates-48f856c9afed58feb908878c2a495287 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/suez-canal-ship-stuck-ever-given-free-11616795873 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ship-blocking-suez-canal-is-partially-freed-11616989503 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/suez-canal-blockage-pressures-global-container-supply-11617027978 . The Journal’s obsession with this story must now come to an end. They have been publishing noticeably fewer stories daily over the past couple of weeks. I am wondering how the end of the blockage will affect their output.
The next chapter in judicial appointments: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-has-first-shot-at-judicial-vacancies-11617012000 .
The nuts long for Alternate Reality: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/545361-supreme-court-rebuffs-bid-for-hillary-clinton-deposition-about . Uh-huh. What special protection did Hillary receive? Get the fundraising letters ready. This is how Tom Fitton makes his living: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Fitton .
Even among the nuts, this must qualify as first-class stupid: https://apnews.com/article/garrett-miller-capitol-riot-wore-i-was-there-shirt-b393f63484444463a459aa6998a78a7f . These people are apparently oblivious to the idea that confessing on social media is nearly equivalent to a written, signed confession. The expression from my youth was, “When the brains were passed out, he was behind the door.”
The nuts are just mailing it in now: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/antifa-oregon-riot-heavily-armed . So, the news is “heavily armed” Antifa protestors gathered at the Oregon State Capitol, and one was “nearly run over by a truck”? This didn’t make the televised news here that I saw. Here’s the local newspaper coverage: https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2021/03/dueling-protesters-clash-at-oregon-capitol-several-detained-including-man-who-pulled-gun.html . In other words, nothing happened. Update: The guy who pulled the gun was a right-winger, not from “heavily armed” Antifa: https://nypost.com/2021/03/29/no-charges-for-man-who-drew-gun-at-or-protests-four-others-arrested/ . He was not charged.
Will Fox pay for falsely promoting election fraud?: https://www.vox.com/22352213/dominion-fox-news-1-6-billion-tucker-carlson-lou-dobbs-maria-bartiromo-defamation-first-amendment . The article comes to the same conclusion we did earlier. Damages may be $1 to millions, but not billions. Still, Dominion has a strong case, and any award of damages is a strike against Fox’s yellow journalism.
Even the Journal recognizes the outstanding results of the Pac-12, although belatedly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pac-12-conference-march-madness-elite-eight-11617018534 . The Beavers were dominated by Houston in the first half, but methodically chipped away in the second half to tie the game at 55. Houston outscored the Beavers 12 to 6 from there. Still, this was a remarkable run for a team picked to finish dead last in the Pac-12. They had to win the conference title to even get invited.